"The Craft Group" plus...

 This term at The Craft Group we have been making different little paper projects each week.  I LOVED this project. It combines so many things I love... recycling newspapers, origami, quick & easy, gardening, FREE, gift idea and fun! I found the idea HERE at the blog called "Oh The Things We'll Make!" credit: https://thethingswellmake.com/quick-diy-origami-newspaper-pots/ The pots are easy to make using one page of a newspaper (or half a full spread page).  There are clear instructions plus a video on the blog, so you can't go wrong. You buy some seed raising mix and plant your seeds, watering gently. Then, when they look fairly established, you don't have to traumatize your plants by taking them out of their snug soil bed to replant them, you just sink the whole pot into the soil and it will disintegrate as the roots grow.  I am always looking for little gift ideas and this one is great! You place 5 or 6 collapsed pots inside an open pot, place it in a gift ...

A realistic, uplifting view of Motherhood!

This lovely, unassuming lady used her creativity to give Bratz Dolls a makeover.  She and her husband can't believe the way this has gone viral on the internet. It is just such a refreshing thing to see! Enjoy.

Having had 2 little ones in the house again for 2 days, I am convinced that the most important meals in their eyes are Morning Tea and Afternoon Tea. The challenge is to find them something healthy but fun. They were leaving my house with their Mum (my sister) in half an hour. They had an hour ahead of them in the car. QUICK! Feed them afternoon tea! 2 Ingredient banana pikelets came to mind and in no time were in the pan. The 2 ingredients are 3 bananas and 3 eggs. That is really all you need to know but you can see a recipe HERE . This recipe is for pancakes but mini pancakes (pikelets) are better for little hands or for a small snack. They are of course gluten, dairy and fat free with no added sugar! http://www.kidspot.com.au/best-recipes/Healthy+25/2-ingredient-pancakes-recipe+4806.htm "Miss 6" screwed up her nose at first. Just being honest because I think she was expecting a slightly different taste. But they were all eaten. They are not like your averag...

Nadia has featured many times on this blog. She is the crochet queen. Just put "Nadia" in the search bar on the right and you will see many of her creations. After 3 lovely sons, Nadia has a daughter, Trinity. We love seeing her little face at The Craft Group. No longer is she sleeping soundly on her mum's shoulder, rocked gently by the rhythm of mum's crocheting hands. She is now toddling around in the creche with her brother. You can understand then why Nadia called her collection "Trinity's Crochet Collection". Check it out. She is an artist with wool! Her items are for sale and she does do special orders, so contact her if you are genuinely interested... nadia [dot] alvarez [at] optusnet [dot] com [dot] [au]

After a long Summer break, The Craft Group is on again. We had a lovely morning tea for everyone to enjoy while they enrol. There was some crafty inspiration… (I'll show you Elly's wreaths in another post soon) We had coffee, tea, yummy treats and little gifts. Always little gifts! Here is this year's "WELCOME" gift. A snap lock bag containing... A welcome message, A little bag of seed raising mix soil. 25grams to be precise! A little Christian message card, a paddle pop stick saying "Bizzie Lizzie" and a little packet of seeds*. On the back of the welcome note is a list of the dates for The Craft Group this year and a poem which I will share below. When Mum has to get something ready for The Craft Group, the family is usually involved. Annalee is happy to help packaging up the gifts while watching a DVD on her laptop. Note… One ear peeping out of the ear phones because I kept saying things, even ...

This looks so impressive, I really must try it. Hmm, not sure when. You try it and tell me how you go. Click here for great pictorial instructions. Pastry folding AND… I have so many nice things to show you. Things made by the clever ladies at The Craft Group. So, starting on monday, I am showing off one project a day! You will be inspired for a craft filled year.

The Craft Group is starting again soon for a new year of crafting and friendship. (13th Feb for Enrolment Morning for local ladies). So everyone is thinking about what projects to finish, continue with, start or share. Fabric addicts, prepare yourselves. Do you prewash your quilting fabrics or not? Years ago it was a definite "Yes, of course!" You don't want your fabric to shrink or the colour to run after your project is finished! But now, with improvements to dyes and the preshrinking of new fabrics, there is a strong argument not to prewash. A small amount of shrinking after a quilt has been made can give it that lovely, slightly puckered vintage look.  Also, using the fabric unwashed is a bit easier to cut and sew as it is a little stiffer than after you have washed it. I found a good explanation of the whole debate HERE  on the Craftsy blog. There you can read more points for and against pre-washing and some helpful tips if you are going to wash. There is ...

These are so cute and easy. All you need is a 4 pronged fork, some yarn and little sharp scissors. I want to make a heap and make a garland. A good holiday project. Check it out HERE  at a blog called "Small good things" She makes cute wreaths and garlands with her pom poms of all sizes.

Yes, I am still alive! Life has been busy in the last few weeks. Mark's sister and husband are in Australia from Canada for a 4 week visit. We had some lovely days with them in the Blue Mountains and in beautiful Sydney....and a full family reunion with all the relos soon. We had 50 teens here for Miss 16's 16th birthday party. Lots of fun. Then Miss 16 got a part time job, a bank account AND her learners drivers licence. Wow, turning 16 is a big thing! Mr 19 passed his driving test and is now able to drive on his own. Hmm, we have to share a car again. Miss 23 came back from her 6 weeks in South Asia (but wants to go back and live there for a few years!) :)  :(   It is her birthday today! We are going out for lunch. She says she wants a steak. No curry. We went to pick her up from the airport. In the one hour we were away from our cars, some "person" stole all Mr 21's carpentry tools. $3000 worth. How ironic. We were SO happy that our daughter was sa...

At The Craft Group we always break for coffee and I do announcements...sales that are on... whose birthday it is. Then we do a little 4 minute "Thought from the Bible".  We follow different topics and lately we have been doing "Women of Faith".  We've interviewed some women, looked at some women in  the Bible and shared stories about people have heard about. Recently Lydia shared about a young woman who she is reading about, Katie Davis. Katie is from the States and is living in Uganda. She is now 23 but by the age of 21 had adopted 14 girls. Why would she do that? Listen to this short clip to meet her... If you want to read more about this young woman and her faith, read this book ... Buy it here. Or, really see what she is doing and thinking and believing by looking at the blog of the ministry she has started up called "Amazima"   HERE . Or her personal blog HERE . Plenty to think about. What a woman. What a God!

As soon as I have big things coming up, I drop the blog! Sorry! This week we have a son turning 19 and a daughter turning 16. there are presents and parties and cakes and a puppet show to perform at school. Brain full. It fills up quicker these days and can't fit anything else in! But, you might feel like looking up a free craft pattern for...well... just about any craft you like! Loose yourself in the Fave Crafts website if you have a spare few hours (days...weeks). Enjoy, or as they say in NL "Genieten!" www.favecrafts.com

Why make my own tutorial if there are so many good ones already? I like this one... Get your long, thin scarf ready and  Click Here  to possibly learn a few new tricks! 25 ways to tie a scarf Thanks Heidi for the link!

Firstly, Yay!!! It's saturday morning and I just received an email that my 23 year old daughter has arrived safely at her destination in India after 32 hours of travelling alone. *big sigh* and Thank you Lord! Now, onto some blog sharing of the crocheting kind. I found this good tip on finishing off threads in your crochet. from 'Playin' Hooky' blog While checking out her site I saw on the top tab a free pattern which looks good too! She calls it the Brain Wave Beanie. :)  from 'Playin' Hooky' Designs But... I am always confused about patterns because of the silly differences in terms around the world. The pattern above is from the USA. The UK and the USA use the same terms but they mean different things. Being in Australia, I am confused because some follow the US was and others the UK. From the chart below, they say Aussies use the UK version. I found this great, chart to convert crochet patterns  Here This follow...

Did you know you can knit your little fingers off this month for charity? (NOTE ADDED LATER: SEE BELOW*) In the past, ladies at The Craft Group have made knitted items and asked me how to get them to people in need? I had trouble finding a collector and distributor because my local Guardian pharmacy, who used to take my collections, said they don't do it any more. Some of the things knitted by Bev G given to "Save the Children" Well, either the person working there had no idea or that particular chemist didn't collect. But anyway, they are still collecting and I have the website to prove it! Save the Children distribute knitted items to children in need and you can easily donate your items at your local Guardian Pharmacy.   (look here for the one closest to you). They give out a free pattern book too. In the past they have told me that the items donated don't have to be from the pattern book, they can be anything for children to wear, providing they...

Inspire your teenage girls to try a new design for their friendship bracelets. I like the fishtail style shown here in a tutorial by "Carrots 'n spice". from carrots 'n spice Have fun!

School holidays. Holiday Bible Club. Helping with drama and Puppets and bits 'n pieces. Telling kids about Jesus. Keeping up with the house work. Providing a taxi service. Having a few days in a holiday house down the coast. Nice. But... no blogging time! I have a super lovely blog post waiting to be published about the apron we made for our blog friend in Central Queensland. But here is a little tutorial you can master in the mean time, until I am back in blogland. I first saw this on a Japanese You Tube clip. Now there are heaps of people sharing this technique. Have fun with your laundry!

Jennifer is a multi talented lady. She is also very generous with her skills! During Lydia's pregnancy she crocheted this beautiful baby blanket. And after the pregnancy Jennifer shared her skills as a Physician who used to specialise in lactation consultancy. Now that is a great friend to have when you have just had a baby! Do you love the zig-zag crochet pattern? Have you done it before? I must admit that Wendy T showed me once how to do this pattern. I completed about 30 cm of a rug and then came to a grinding halt. The problem was that I needed to count. Every up and down of the chevron pattern... I was counting. Counting and watching TV. Counting and chatting. I nearly went mad counting so decided it wasn't important enough to loose my sanity over. So I stopped counting. And I stopped crocheting my zig zags.  I know a truly talented crocheter can zig zag, count, watch TV, plan the week's shopping list and talk on the phone all at the same time but...

At The Craft Group we have a "Swap Shop". People bring in things they don't need anymore from their craft cupboard. Anyone can take items for free but need to bring something back in return the next week. Quite often there are large pieces of tapestry fabric and random bits of wool. I've never known what to do with the tapestry fabric base. Why not tie lots of pom poms onto it? Cosy! [source]

My front door mat drives me crazy because it is always slipping out of its position. I found this tip and it slides around no more! It couldn't be easier. See how to do it HERE . .